Yokan
Red bean jelly
Mizu yōkan & neri yōkan (羊羹): firm red bean jelly set with agar
Yōkan is one of Japan's oldest sweets, brought by Zen monks and refined in Edo-period Tokyo into dense, dark blocks that were carried by samurai and are still given as gifts in long wooden boxes. Red bean paste, sugar and agar are cooked down until thick and set into a smooth, firm jelly that slices cleanly, served in thin pieces with bitter green tea. The common mistake is undercooking the agar: it must boil for two full minutes or the yōkan won't set firmly. Chef's tip: cook the paste until a trail drawn across the bottom of the pan holds for a second before closing, which gives the classic firm, glossy neri yōkan.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- ⅛ oz agar powder
- 1 cup water
- 2 ⅞ oz sugar
- 1 pinch salt
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse a small loaf tin or container (about 15 × 10 cm) with water; don't dry it.
Step 2: Whisk ⅛ oz agar powder into 1 cup water in a pan. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring, and boil for 2 minutes until fully dissolved.
4 minStep 3: Add 2 ⅞ oz sugar and stir until dissolved, then add 14 oz smooth sweet red bean paste (koshian) and 1 pinch salt and stir until smooth.
3 minStep 4: Keep stirring over a low-medium heat for 10–12 minutes, until thick and glossy and a spatula drawn across the pan leaves a brief trail. Take care, as it spits.
12 minStep 5: Pour into the tin, tap to knock out bubbles and smooth the top.
Step 6: Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then chill for 1 hour more until firm. Turn out and cut into thin slices. Wrapped, it keeps for a week in the fridge.
120 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yokan take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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